#RomneyShambles: Well, it turns out Mitt Romney’s Israeli trip wasn’t without controversy, since he abruptly cancelled a previously scheduled meeting with former opposition leader Shelly Yacimovich. Some in the Israeli press are saying this came about under pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Not to be offensive to any one, I didn’t realize Mitt Romney was taking instructions from Netanyahu.

The two bureaus, Romney’s and Yacimovich’s, began coordinating the meeting, where and how long it would be along with a joint statement to the press. But a week ago, after Kadima head MK Shaul Mofaz left the government, Yacimovich ceased to be opposition leader. Labor Knesset faction head Yitzhak (Buzi) Herzog took the initiative and informed the Romney staff of the change in Yacimovich’s status, and requested that the meeting be cancelled.

Romney’s staff would have none of it. They told Herzog that they were au courant with happenings on the Israeli political scene, knew that Mofaz was now opposition leader (Romney will also meet with him), and insisted on holding the Yacimovich meeting as planned. Source:  Haaretz

The meeting was set for 1:30 p.m. at the King David Hotel Monday, but after a meeting with Netanyahu, Romney cancelled the meeting with the opposition.

And then Romney went into a meeting with Netanyahu at the Prime Minister’s Bureau in Jerusalem. During the course of the meeting the candidate’s staff contacted Herzog to inform him that the meeting had regrettably been cancelled, “for reasons of protocol.” Herzog and Yacimovich have no doubts: Netanyahu, or his people, didn’t approve of the Yacimovich meeting and pressured Romney to cancel it – and succeeded. Source:  Haaretz

This should come as no surprise, since Mitt Romney seems to have a problem following his own lead, which would be the same manner in which he will run his administration — George W. Bush-lite. This also comes as Mitt Romney’s campaign reversed its decision to bar reporters from his fundraiser, breaking protocol. Mitt Romney’s overseas trip has been a fiasco on so many levels.

This was cross-posted from The Hinterland Gazette.